MANILA, Philippines - Fil-Japanese Yuka Escalora Saso turned in a gutsy over-par 73 to post a seven-stroke lead over Thai Rina Tatematsu at the start of the Jakarta Junior World Championship at the Damai Indah Golf Club BSD course in Indonesia late Tuesday.
Saso, one of the newest members of Team ICTSI, blew a two-under card after seven holes but held on to finish with two more birdies against a double-bogey on No. 8 and three bogeys at the back for a 36-37 card.
But it proved enough to give the 12-year-old find a whopping seven-shot lead over Tatematsu, who struggled with an 80 at the Jack Nicklaus-designed layout in West Java, in Class C of the annual event which lured some of the leading and rising junior players in the region.
Malaysian Allycia Wen stood a shot farther back at 81 while local bet Zillya Rahadian skied to an 82.
“I’ve seen her play and I was impressed by her form. I tried her out last April and took her into the team,†said Team ICTSI coach Bong Lopez of his newest recruit to the team that includes top amateur Princess Superal.
Superal and teammates Abby Arevalo and Sam Martirez open their respective bids in Class A today while Mika Fortuna vies in Class B of the 54-hole championship.
Meanwhile, Rupert Zaragosa, the reigning national champion, fired a 71 to trail Thai Thanakorn Torsee by four in boys’ Class A, Aidric Chan carded a 77 to lay two strokes adrift of Kritchayapo Sinhai, also of Thailand, in Class B, with Kristoffer Arevalo turning in a 78.